Good stuff! This is my favorite faction so far, though haven't played many. I, too, underestimated pike front lines until I read Myth's guide. I have been playing around with different armies of later, but it is tough to beat the one you show as the basic setup.

Weird how each game is different, too. The first one, which I got rolled (very first campaign), I allied with Galatia and we both just rolled the south....until Cimmeria from the north ran rough shod over me.

So the next time I allies with Cimmeria really early, and still, 190 turns in, they are my staunchest ally, still protecting my northern sea approach as well as the land approach to the east. I value them so much when I got "rich" I just started giving them 5k now and then lol.